Like many parents, Kim Petch and her husband have wrestled with a dilemma at one time or another: Should they spend more on giving the kids a good start on life or pay down debt faster and save for retirement? They recently opted for a compromise solution

Globe and Mail, by Larry MacDonaldDecember 2011

Two of their teenage sons are taking music lessons to prepare for music programs at university. But the fees are hefty, and the Petches find they are putting aside plans to accelerate mortgage payments and contribute to registered retirement saving plans, says Mrs. Petch, who is author of the Balance Junkie blog.